#33 – 2B Jordany Valdespin

Why Ranked Here: Valdespin has some obvious gifts: he’s a plus runner with a live body. Moreover, Mets people complemented the work he did in instructional league in the DR after season’s end.

2009: It was a long and windy year for Valdespin. An incredibly hot April in Savannah (.385/.406/.615) carried him to a .322/.366/.480 line in Savannah through June 2. Valdespin was much more ordinary in May (.267/.330/.372) before an injury sidelined him for almost all of June and July. When he reappeared in August, he played a games in the DSL, a week in the GCL and then three weeks for Brooklyn to help the Cyclones’ playoff push. With Brooklyn, Valdespin hit like it was May in the SAL going .279/.338/.397 in 18 games. Scouts, who liked his speed, scoffed at his baseball instincts.

Dr. Pangloss Says: With his speed, Valdespin could be a top of the order threat if he learns to control the strike zone.

Debbie Downer Says: Um, yeah, what are the odds he does learn that crucial ability? He drew five walks in 18 games in the NYP and 11 in 39 games in the SAL as a 21-year old. He’ll be 22 in 2010 in his first taste of the FSL. He’s just another guy who can run without the actual skill set that would help a MLB lineup.

Another interesting one to watch. He not only needs plate discipline, but some control on the bases as well as he seemed to have a run until they tag you out approach. His nice OBP isn’t very useful if he’s tagged out at second.

I always associate the word guano with the phrase bat guano. It makes me think of caves and dark places, which is totally the wrong thought on the day “pitchers and catchers report.”

I just learned that Guano can be used both as a fertilizer and as an ingredient in gunpowder and that wars were fought in the 19th century in part over stores of guano. Stunning. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guano.